I want to make sure you buy the right Blu-ray player. If you don’t know some important facts, you could end up with old gear.

You heard right; the format war is over. HD DVD is dead. Blu-ray Disc is the way to go for high-definition DVDs. But yes, there are different kinds of Blu-ray players.

I know it feels like I just threw you another curve ball. But it may not be as big a deal as you think. The profiles concept isn’t complicated. But it’s important to understand if you’re shopping for a player.

The Blu-ray format is adding new functionality to DVD players. New features will bring interactivity to your movies. But they are rolling out slowly. New Blu-ray profiles add different features. As new profiles emerge, older ones will be phased out.

Here’s what you need to know.

The first Blu-ray players were profile 1.0. This profile was often called the Grace Period Profile. These players simply played Blu-ray movies. They provided HD quality video. But they didn’t include any extra features.

All players manufactured after Nov. 1, 2007, must be profile 1.1. This profile adds picture-in-picture capabilities. Blu-ray movies can show bonus content in a picture-in-picture window. And they can show it while the movie is playing.